Wreck of German submarine missing since 1915 was unexpected discovery by
energy companies surveying seabed to plan wind farms

The mystery over the fate of a German First World War U-boat has been resolved a century after it went missing – after its wreck was discovered by offshore wind farm developers.

The SM U-31 submarine disappeared after setting off from Wilhelmshaven in January 1915 on routine patrol, with 4 officers and 31 men on board.

Although it was widely believed to have struck a mine and sunk, it was the subject of an unsubstantiated war legend – apparently begun by the commander of another U-boat – claiming it had washed ashore in eastern England six months later with all the crew dead on board.

The tale – which suggested the crew might have been poisoned by an on-board gas leak – appears to have finally been debunked after the discovery of its wreck, 55 miles off the coast of East Anglia.

"After being on the seabed for over a century, the submarine appears to be in a remarkable condition with the conning tower present and the bows partially buried."

Mark Dunkley, Historic England

Energy companies ScottishPower and Vattenfall, which were carrying out seabed surveys in order to plan the construction of proposed offshore wind farms, first discovered the uncharted submarine wreck in 2012.

It was initially thought it could be the Dutch Navy’s final missing World War Two submarine – but divers have now confirmed it is the missing U-31 submarine.

Mark Dunkley, marine archaeologist at Historic England, said: "SM U-31 was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy in September 1914. On 13th January 1915, the U-31 slipped its mooring and sailed north-west from Wilhelmshaven for a routine patrol and disappeared.

"It is thought that U-31 had struck a mine off England’s east coast and sank with the loss of its entire complement of 4 officers, 31 men.

"After being on the seabed for over a century, the submarine appears to be in a remarkable condition with the conning tower present and the bows partially buried.

"Relatives and descendants of those lost in the U-31 may now take some comfort in knowing the final resting place of the crew and the discovery serves as a poignant reminder of all those lost at sea, on land and in the air during the First World War."

The wreck will remain in its final resting place, which is now an official military maritime grave, and any future wind farm developments in the area will be designed so as not to disturb the wreck.

Charlie Jordan, of ScottishPower Renewables, said: "The scanning team were expecting to see wrecks, but such a discovery was quite a surprise and has been extremely interesting.

"Unravelling the whole story behind the submarine has been fascinating and it’s heartening to know that the discovery will provide closure to relatives and descendants of the submariners lost who may have always wondered what had happened to their loved ones."